Isner Hopes Daughter Will Have Better Backhand

John Isner and his wife, Madison, are expecting their first child on 22 September, nearly three months from now. But the top American has already thought about what kind of tennis game their baby girl should have.

Asked after his second-round win if she will have a two-handed or one-handed backhand, Isner said, “Two-handed and hopefully a better backhand than mine.”

The American's game – including his backhand – was good enough to push him to the third round of Wimbledon on Thursday as Isner avoided a drawn-out fifth set and beat Belgium's Ruben Bemelmans 6-1, 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-7(3), 7-5 in a match that was postponed on Wednesday because of rain at 3-4 in the fifth set.

Isner said he struggled to sleep on Wednesday night. Thoughts of his two-set, 4/0 third-set tie-break were racing through his head. The sleepless feeling will probably come more often after their baby girl is born later this year, and in the following years. Isner is rooting for at least a family big enough to field two doubles teams.

“I told [Madison] I think we're going to have four girls. I feel it,” Isner said. “Our first kid, sometimes they come early, sometimes they come late. Whenever it comes, it's going to be a blessing. [Madison] and I are certainly looking forward to that. And our life is in Dallas now... We're going to have a lot of help, which helps, because my in-laws, her parents are amazing. Her family is amazing. And then my family I think is awesome, as well. So this kid is going to have a lot of love. That's for sure.”